Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-13
An Impaisiye Prince.

An ImpaIsiye Prince.
(Pall-Mall Gazettc.l
The Prince Imperial was a young
gentleman of high spirit, and not very
easy to control. In August, 1878, only
a few months before his tragical death,
we arrived at Christiana, intending to
take the usual midday train for Copen-
hagen. The town was all decorated
with flags, and we found that the royal
Yacht was expected, the Prince Imperial
on board. He had been on visit to
the King and Queen of Sweden at lit
tie country place called OrkerId dis
tant some three hours by steamer, and
was now returning to England ria
Copenhagen, intending to travel by
this same midday train. The hour
for departure arrived, but no Prince
Imperial. We waited and still waited,
but the yacht was unaccoqntably de
tanned. At last, however, the booming
cannon announced the arrival of the
royal party; two or three carriages
rolled rapidly up TO the station, and the
King got out, and came on to the plat
form leading the Prince by the hand.
The latter, very short and slight, looked
quite like boy by the side of the King,
who is indeed the beau deal of a mon
arch, tall and stately as one Of
bis own Norwegian pines. The
reason of the unaccountable de-
lay We heard afterward from one
of the party on board. 1t was "A
lovely hot summers day the Prince
was in tearing spirits-shouting, sing
ing playing pranks like mad thing
all the time. At last he came up to me
King and said he "would and must
have a battle /" impossible" said
the king, "the train will be waiting for
us, you know" No matter, he would
and must, and forthwith began tC take
off his clothes. The King then
mildly suggested that he should
at least perform that operation below.
But not bit ! And in another moment
his Imperial Highness was stripped
and careening about the deck in a state
of nature. Seeing him so determined,
the order was given TO stop the vessel,
and almost before this could be done
the Prince had plunged over the side
Upon this the Prince Royal of Sweden
and some of the younger gentlemen
in attendance also undressed, and there
were soon half a dozen Of them in the
water swimming round the yacht, the
Prince Imperial jumping on their
backs and riding them like so many
dolphins. Nor was it till they had had
some half an hour of this sport that
the vessel was allowed to proceed.
The King, however, seems TO have
been much struck with the intelligence
of his young guest, and laughingly
complained to some of the gentlemen
present about his "terrible thirst for
information. His questions are most
alarming. Why, he asked me Just now
how long it took vessel TO get up
steam. | hadn't an idea-thought it
might probably be ten minutes Il find
it does actually take five quarters Of an
hour. But it is very improving, and
one would certainly have to rub up
ones knowledge if one were to be
long in his society !" The Prince, too,
seems to have made himself popular in
Sweden, for oil through the day and
ali through the night crowds were wait
ing to see him, and, and from midnight
to earliest dawn we were awakened at
every little wayside station by their
cries of " Hoch /! Hoch Goch " Va
rious amusing little scenes occurred on
the way. At one station the moment
the train drew up stern-looking lady
planted herself with two little girls III
front of the crowd, and receiving from
their hands two hobby and most
repellent looking bouquets, hurled
them violently one after the other
through the window of the royal
carriage. Then setting her binocle
firmly on her nose, she stood awaiting
the result. At first we thought it i'll
natlred that the green blinds should
have been so closely drawn, but after
this experience were forced TO admit
that there might be some excuse. At
another station, contriying to elude
recognition, the Prince got out
for refreshment, and we saw him
speeding along the platform, little
dusty figure in gray, dusty even to his
eyelashes. Unluckily for him he EN-
countered on his way two ladies', whose
courtesies betrayed his identity. In O
moment the crowd was at his heels. In
and out of the refreshment-room, the
waiting-room, everywhere, they follow
ed him, till he was fain once
more to take refuge behind the
friendly shelter of his green
blinds. Later on we beheld him leau-
ing out of the window of second
class carriage at the other end OF the
train and watching with great amuse-
ment the crowds that had gathered in
front of the royal coach, and were en-
gagged in staring at the equerry whom
he had put there to fill his place. That
was the last time we ever saw the Prince
Imperial alive.